Naturally Learning Blackwater

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are respectfully guided by highly skilled staff in a rich learning environment. They are very curious, engaged and keen to learn. The well-embedded, highly effective and ambitious curriculum ensures that children of all ages and backgrounds make exceptional progress in their development. Managers and staff create meaningful learning opportunities that link extremely well to other activities they have created. For example, children of all ages explore the topic of weather. Pre-school children learn about the sun and its impact on our planet. Staff hold purposeful discussions with children, exploring the artist Vincent van Gogh and his painting 'Sunflowers'. Children create their own interpretation on canvas. They develop independence as they select colours and pour paint onto a palette. Pre-school children paint sunflower shadows. Staff guide children to draw the shadow of their friend's body on the ground, supporting social and creative development. Children build mathematical skills as staff guide them to reflect on how a sundial works. They calculate the time, using the shadow drawings and time markers.

Babies happily explore different textures, such as rice and sand. They develop their hand strength as they use spoons to transfer sand between containers. Staff encourage children's language and communication skills wonderfully. They hold meaningful interactions with babies and give them plenty of time to think and respond.

Managers and staff place a strong importance on children's personal and emotional development. They ensure babies and older children feel secure and safe. The atmosphere in every area of the nursery is calm and relaxed. Babies enjoy listening to gentle guitar music played by staff.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• The leadership team is inspirational and exceptionally knowledgeable about early childhood education and effective teaching and learning. Every year, leaders take staff on a training week, visiting nurseries in Copenhagen. Staff share their learning with colleagues when they return. A recent course focusing on music and dance has guided staff to support children to interpret words with their bodies and music. Children dance and move, exploring the word 'stormy'. Staff's extensive reflective practice guides children's experiences to build in sequence over time. At the end of each project, staff guide children through a reflection week, enabling children to remember and enjoy what they have learned.
• Children develop a wonderful sense of independence and advanced personal care skills. Babies sit together at a table to eat, developing concentration, patience and social skills. Children of all ages use cutlery, developing their hand strength and coordination. Staff guide children to help chop firewood, build fires and cook crumpets on the fire. Children know how to be safe in these areas. They show high levels of concentration, self-control and perseverance.
• Staff well-being is extremely important to leaders. Staff report that they love working here and feel fully supported by leaders and managers. They report that their work and opinions are highly valued. Leaders provide excellent working conditions and regular team-building days, for example wreath-making activities at Christmas. Staff retention is exemplary. Leaders recognise the positive impact this has on children's relationships and learning journeys.
• Guiding children to eat a nutritious, balanced diet and develop healthy eating habits is a core element of the nursery ethos. The cook is a central part of the nursery. Curriculum planning is shared with the cook, who creates meals and snacks that superbly complement the daily activities. Toddlers and babies are provided with a wonderful platter of darkly coloured fruits, such as figs, blackberries and plums, at snack time, in line with their 'storm' project.
• Leaders passionately ensure the nursery is accessible to all members of the community. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are wonderfully supported and make exceptional progress from their starting points. The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) is passionate about their role, extremely knowledgeable and experienced. They have undertaken extensive training in understanding and supporting neurodiversity. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make exceptional progress in their learning and development. Leaders support the SENDCo to visit other nurseries in Devon and Cornwall to train other practitioners in best SEND practice.
• The nursery ethos has a strong focus on sustainability and care for the environment. All staff and children are guided to 'reduce, re-use and recycle'. Leaders guide staff to help children explore habitat, respect their environment and to become stewards of the planet. Children enjoy growing plants and explaining how they care for the planet. Every day, staff take small groups of children to spend the day in the nursery's forest school. Children develop their awareness of the outdoors and nature and build their confidence and self-esteem.